Threshers 2008 Season Recap

The 2008 Threshers had a hard act to follow from the fans perspective after the 2007 team took the season to it’s limit by going to the post season and winning the whole thing by bringing home a F.S.L. Championship. I know the 2008 record was not what the team or fans had hoped for, but hopefully it was a learning experience for everyone. That is what the minors are about.

The team did play some fundametally sound baseball, and we did get to see some terrific efforts from some wonderful players over the course of the season. The 2008 statistical leaders for the team are recognized below.
As a team the Threshers had the 4th highest batting average in the league on the year. The direction and coaching of Razor Shines and Kevin Jordan also had the team ending the season with the fewest strikeouts of any team in the league and to go along with that they garnered the third most walks showing tremendous plate discipline. The only thing the team lacked offensively was extra base hits, without which they were unable to plate enough runs to get enough wins.

Pitching wise the team had more complete games from their staff than any other club in the league. Joe Savery led the league in innings and was second in strikeouts. Darren Byrd Had a strong second half for the team. Byrd was one of only four pitchers in the league to throw two complete games on the year. One other player to accomplish that feat was his teammate Andrew Carpenter who managed to go the distance in two of his eight mid-season rehab starts with the team.

All-in-all the season has to be considered a success from the Phillies organization perspective despite the teams finish in the league. Fans love to see wins, but mostly we want to see guys move closer to their dreams of playing in the big leagues. That is what many of the guys on the 2008 squad did this year; they got one step closer to helping out our big league squad.